Children care about their reputation from age of two

Children are aware of scrutiny. Stock Image

Sarah Knapton in London

It has long been assumed that childhood is a time of innocence, free from the shackles of social conformity, when youngsters act naturally on instinct rather than by convention.

But research shows that even by the age of two, children are already crippled by the scrutiny of others and will change their behaviour if they are being watched to boost their reputation.